Prizes & Awards

This category is a competition.

Emerging Filmmaker AwardThis juried competition recognizes new and up-and-coming filmmakers from around the world for their achievements in narrative filmmaking. The winning film will demonstrate standout excellence in creativity, storytelling technique, and innovation in the narrative form. To qualify the film must be the director's debut or second feature, must be a feature length narrative, and must not have US distribution at the time of selection.Cash Award Value: 2,500 U.S. Dollar
This prize is shared with other categories.

Documentary Feature AwardThis juried competition recognizes national and international documentary filmmaking that exemplifies the very best in presentation, diversity, innovation, and powerful storytelling. To qualify the film must be a feature length documentary, and must not have US distribution at the time of selection. Cash Award Value: 2,500 U.S. Dollar
This prize is shared with other categories.

Spotlight AwardThis juried competition recognizes films that resonate with the theme of this year's festival. To qualify the film must not have US distribution at the time of selection. Cash Award Value: 2,500 U.S. Dollar
This prize is shared with other categories.

Audience Choice AwardAudiences cast their votes in the categories of Best Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Minnesota Made Narrative Feature, Minnesota Made Documentary Feature, Narrative Short, and Documentary Short.This prize is shared with other categories.

Category Rules

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE 2018 FESTIVAL:1) Films completed after January 1, 2017 are eligible for consideration for the 2018 Festival.

2) Minnesota Premieres are required of all feature submissions. Feature films that have had a public, ticketed screening within the state of Minnesota are not eligible for submission.

3) Submissions must not have been broadcast or televised regionally.

4) Feature-length submissions must not be publicly available in their entirety online prior to their date of exhibition in the Festival.

Please note: Minnesota Premieres are not required of shorts films and they may be available online. However, this will be taken into consideration during selection and films that have played in Minnesota or are available online are not eligible for juried competition.

5) Foreign language (non-English) submissions must be available in their original language and soundtrack with English subtitles.

6) Films that have been submitted for consideration in previous years are eligible for submission for 2018 Festival consideration only if they have undergone extensive changes and reapply as a new submission.

7) The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul reserves the right to determine eligibility of any work submitted.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:The following requirements must be met before a submission can be considered for inclusion:

1) Completed Submissions Form (online).

2) Submission Fee. Payment is accepted via Withoutabox or money order made out to The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul. Individuals submitting films made in Minnesota before the Late deadline can claim one (1) fee waiver by emailing submissions@mspfilm.org.

Please note: Changing the password for a private online screener may make the submission unviewable, and therefore disqualified. The Festival will attempt, but is under no obligation, to contact the applicant for an updated password.

Festival programmers reserve the right to re-assign films to appropriate submission categories when necessary.

REQUIREMENTS FOR FILMS SELECTED FOR EXHIBITION:1) Feature Length Films:i) A secure online screener link must be provided for press requests and internal festival use.ii) Exhibition materials must be delivered to the Festival office by March 29, 2018.

2) Short Films:i) Files must be delivered to the Festival immediately upon notification of acceptance. Electronic delivery is preferred, but physical drives will be accepted as well.

3) All Films:i) Must be available in the DCP format.Experimental films may exhibit on super 8mm and 16mm. No other exceptions will be made.ii) Upon acceptance you will be required to fill out an online Confirmation Form which asks for the following: cast/crew information, film synopsis, high-res film stills, electronic press kit, downloadable trailer (if available), 1 - 3 film clips, 2 physical posters (if available), etc. iii) Exhibition Copy Shipment: The film must be shipped prepaid, insured, and properly packaged. The Festival does not assume liability for damage to prints due to improper packaging or other reasons. All films while in our possession will be insured against loss and damage while participating in the event. The Festival will provide return shipping. If requested, the Festival may ship the exhibition material to another festival, decided on a case-by-case basis.iv) The Festival reserves the right to place accepted works in the appropriate program.v) The Festival reserves the right to remove a film from the festival program for any reason or for no reason and shall not be liable for any refund or claims of any kind arising out of such removal.vi) Accepted films may be screened between 1-4 times, at the discretion of the Festival.vii) Screenings will take place at official festival venues, including, but not limited to: St. Anthony Main Theatre, Uptown Theater, Metropolitan State University, Capri Theater, Wehrenberg Rochester Galaxy 14 Cinemaviii) The Festival reserves the right to use images from selected films for Festival marketing purposes.ix) The Festival does not pay screening fees for accepted submissions.

NOTIFICATIONS: Notifications regarding acceptance and non-acceptance of submissions will be sent on or around February 23, 2018.